Prominent Religious Doctrines:
"Total Hereditary Depravity"

The doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravity (inherited sin) is nothing new. The denominational world has been teaching that man is born a sinner for years. This teaching simply states that because Adam sinned, all men are born with a "sinful nature." With such, we are born sinners, and there is nothing we can do about it. Nor can we do anything "good" by ourselves. Does the Bible teach such a doctrine?

1. The Fall Of Adam: When talking about "inherited" sin, it is only logical to look to the first man as the one who placed sin upon all mankind. In Genesis 2, God created man and gave him something to do (Gen. 2:7, 15-17). At this time, God and man had such a close relationship that God walked in the garden in the cool of the day with Adam (Gen. 3:8). In Genesis 3:1-6, man yielded to temptation and sinned. Because Adam and Eve sinned, they suffered several physical consequences, and spiritually died that day (v. 23-24). Up to this point, both those in the Lord's church and the Calvinists would agree.
   Now, what happened to Adam's children? Were they born in sin? God told Cain that if he would do well, he would accepted, but if not, "sin lieth at the door" (Gen. 4:7). This differs greatly from Calvinism. According to Calvinism, sin did not "lie at the door" for Cain, it was already deeply rooted within him thanks to Adam's sin. The Bible says Enoch, "the seventh from Adam", "walked with God" (Gen. 5:21-24). To the Calvinist we ask, how can one "walk with God" being born in sin? God cannot fellowship those in sin (Isa. 59:1-2; I Jn. 1:5). We could pose the same question for Noah who also "walked with God" (Gen. 6:9). The only logical conclusion is that we cannot inherit sin. Each one is responsible for his own sin, just as God says (Ezek. 18:1-3, 20; Col. 3:25).

2. The "Proof-Texts" Of Inherited Sin: Knowing that so many believe in "inherited" sin, let us study the passages the Calvinists use to support their claim that we have inherited sin from Adam. One such passage is Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." However, Psalm 51:1-4 sheds greater light on this subject. "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: ... blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,...." David wrote this psalm after Nathan had confronted him (II Sam. 12:1-7). Psalm 51:5 is not an account of David being an illegitimate son, for he was Jesse's eighth son (I Sam. 16:10-11). He was not confessing something over which he had no control like "inherited" sins. He is confessing that he has been a sinner from an early age. Thus, he asks God to forgive his sins and his sins alone!
   Read Psalm 51:7, 9-12 and notice the personal pronouns "me," "my," and "I." Why was David not praying about Adam's or his children's sin? It is because he knew that his sin was not inherited, nor would he "pass" the guilt of his sins on to others! He would answer for his own sins, and no one else's!
   Another passage used by the Calvinists is Romans 5:12. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." The people did this to themselves. For it to teach what the Calvinists want, this passage should read, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, by Adam's sin."

3. Other Passages Refuting Inherited Sin: Isaiah taught that the sins that separated between man and God were individual in nature (Isa. 59:1-2). James taught that man was made in the likeness of God (Jas. 3:9). Is God inherently sinful? Answer that question, and the controversy is over!